Underground system of electric wires



*(NoModelJ' A UNDERGROUND SYSTEM EUR ELECTRIC WIRES.

vBra-396,543. y Patentedaan. 22, 1889.

2 O'. 7' SNNSSSSSSSSSSSSS Imm ml 'j/523743: C055, JJ

UNITED STATns rricn.

`I-IEYRY' B. OOBB, OF IVILMINGTON, DEIiAiVAR-E.

UNDERGROUND SYSTEM `Oli' ELECTRICA/WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,543, dated January 22, 1889.

Application filed April 19, 1888. Serial No. 271,165- (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. COBB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vilmington, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Underground' Systems of Electric lVires, o f which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to an improved construction of joint for use particularly at the man-holes or vaults in underground 'systems of electric wires for connecting or coupling conducting-wires.

My object is to provide a form of joint between the main wires and coupling-wires connecting them which shall produce the necessary metallic contact between the wires and at the same time afford the requisite insulation and imperviousness at the joints.

To this end my invention consists in the general construction of my improvement; and it .also consists in details of construction and combinations of parts, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings, in which the devices are shown considerably enlarged beyond natural size, Figure l shows a longitudinal section of a portion of a main wire and one end of a coupling-wire, both of my improved construction, to form my joint. Fig. 2 shows the parts illustrated in Fig. l. as separated. Fig. 3 is a similar view to that presented in`Fig. 2 and representing a modified construction, and Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively longitudinal sectional views of caps to be applied to the ends of main wires like that shown in Figs. l and l or that shown in Fig. 3 when not in use.

The term wire used throughout this speciiication includes the insulation upon the conducting-wire.A The insulating substance may comprise any suitable material for the purpose, though I prefer to use vulcanized-rubber tubing, and the drawings represent conducting-wires inclosed within such tubing.

A is a vulcanized-rubber tube containing a main conducting-wire, B, and having a metal ferrule, O, comprising a body portion, fr, of a size to fit snugly within the tube, and a cylindrical portion, r, producing a shoulder, r2, between the two parts r and r. The ferrule C is forced into the end of the tube at its enlarged part around the conducting-Wire B until theend of the part r is flush with the end of the insulating-tube, when solder, q, is applied to the extremity to fasten the conducting-wire and ferrule together.

1 D is the coupling-wire, comprising a section of vulcanized-rubber tubing, A', containing a section of conducting-wire', B and having a metal ferrule, C', constructed exactly like the metal ferrule C, as shown, and which is forced into the end of the tube A at its enlarged part around the conducting-Wire B until the end of the part r is iiush with the end of the insulating-tube of the coupling, when solder, q', is applied to the extremity to fasten the conducting-Wire B and ferrule O together.

`A metal thimble, E, is forced into the tubing A around the reduced portion of the`ferrule r therein. If desired, the thimble may be threaded on its external surface, as shown.

One end only of the couplerD isillustrated in the drawings; but the opposite end is of y identical construction therewith, so that it will be understood, without requiring further 4illustration, that the coupler D comprises an insulating-tube containing a section of conducting-wire and having a ferrule, C', at `each end.

To understand the application to which my improvement is especially adaptable, it is to be borne in mind that the main wires in underground conduits project at their extremities provided with ferrules O into the vaults or manholes, or in-to boxes on the walls of the same. To couple two such wires together in the man-hole or vault from one conduit to an- `other, it is but necessary to slip the thimbles E, extending from each endof the coupler D,

over Athe ends of the conducting-wires B and IOC otter great resistance to the separation. of the joints when desired. lt will readily be seen that the coupling ali'ords perfect metal contacts and connections between the wires coupled by it, and that when the thimbles are threaded, as described, and forced into the tubing' while the latter is warm they will. in cooling shrink upon the thimble and make the joint tight.

lVhen main wires are not in use, (it being the common practice to introduce numerous wires into the conduits when the latter arc laid, extending from one man-hole or vault to another, and use them only as occasion requires,) they may be protected at their projecting extremities by caps F, Fig. Jr, comprising` metal thimbles C', inserted part way into short sections otl insulating-tubes F', which inaybe provided with a suitable filling-such as paratline, p-in the head portion, as shown. These caps thoroughly protect the ends ot' t-he wires from the access ol deleterious matter*- such as dirt, moisture, and the like.

rlhe modification shown in Fig. 3 differs from the construction shown in Figs. l and f3 only in slight details of construction, the effeet being the same in each. Thus the ferrule C is driven into the tubingA suiiiciently far only to cause the shoulder r2 to be iiush with the end of the tubing, whereby the reduced portion r' extends beyond the saine, and the construction of the ends ot' the coupler D is accordingly changed by driving the ferrule C' farther into the tubing A', to enable the thimble inserted around the reduced portion fr to be flush at its extremity with the end of the tubing A'. For this modiiied construction of the ends oi' the main wires the form ol' cap shown in Fig. 5 is required, wherein the thimble E' lies entirely within the section ot insulating-tubing F'.

I do not limit myself to the particular construction of cap shown and described, since a cap of any suitable forni and of any material will answer the purpose. Y

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. rlhe combination ot an insulated electric conductingwire, B, a metal ferrule, C, surrounding the wire B near its end, an insulated conducting-wire, B', having a metal ferrule, C', surrounding it near its end, and a metal thimble, E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. rlhe combination of an electric conducting-wire, B, inclosed within an insulating tube, A, a metal ferrule, C, surrounding the wire B near its end in the insulating-tube, a conducting-wire, B', inclosed within an insulating-tube, A', having a metal t'errule, C', surrounding the wire B' near its end in the insulating-tube, and a metal thimble, E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2:3. ln an umlerground system of electric wires having an insulated conductor extending into a man-hole, vault, or the like, the combination, with the said conductor, of a removable and adjustable cap, F, to cover its end, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

le The combination of an electric conducting-wire, B, a metal t'errule, C, in a tube, A,

of insulating material and sin-rminding the wire B near its end, and a cap, F, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

The combination of an insulated electric conducting-wire, B, a metal ferrule, C, surrounding the wire B near its end, and a cap, F, comprising a section of insulatingtube, li", having a thimble, E', and containing a filling, p, substantially as and tor the purpose set G. The combination ot an electric conducting-wire, B, inclosed within an insulating-Y Y ing-wire, B, inclosed within an insulatingtube, A, a metal ferrule, C, having an enlarged portion, r, a reduced portion, r', and shoulder i, and inserted around the wire B into the insulating-tube to cause its extremity to be iiush with that of the said insulatingtube, a coupler, D, comprising a conducting-wire, B', inclosed within an insulating-tube, A', metal :I'errules C', :formed like the terrule C and inserted around the wire B into opposite ends of the insulating-tube to cause their extremities to be flush with those of the said insulating-tube, and metal thimbles E, inserted around the reduced port-ions of the ferrules C into the opposite ends of the tubing A and extending beyond the latter, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

HENRY B. COBB.

ln presence of- JAs. B. THoMAs, l. F. BETTs.

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